HEADING TO THE TOP – WITH A BULLET

Fantastic return to racing for Bel Esprit 4YO, Esprit de Bullet, who won very impressively over 1100m at Bendigo on Thursday 10 December … his first run in 46 weeks.
Never touched with the whip, Esprit de Bullet ran to the line hard held, winning by a length and a half.
Esprit de Bullet – a half brother to VRC Oaks-G1 winner Hollow Bullet and stakes winning 2YO Red Hot Mama – won on debut at Cheltenham on Boxing Day last year, but then put in what was seemingly a shocker at Morphettville a month later.
Turns out the horse was far from chipper and was subsequently operated on – delaying his return for nearly a year.
It now appears that the decision to persist will pay dividends for Esprit de Bullet’s owners and trainer who are likely to chase bigger fish in the coming weeks. Indeed, winning jockey Craig Newitt responded with a “no doubt” when TVN’s Shane Templeton asked him if the horse was headed for town.
Bred by Alistair and Patty McFarlane’s Tori Park Stud, Esprit de Bullet was consigned by Eliza Park to the 2007 Australian Easter Yearling before the colt was passed in for $190,000.
Alastair and Patty decided to retain a share and race Esprit de Bullet, placing the horse with Mark Lewis.
Mark, who has stables in Ballarat and Morphettville, said that Esprit de Bullet is one of the best horse’s he has ever trained and: “like most Bel Esprits, he (Esprit de Bullet) has a match winning turn of speed and, when he lets down, he lets down quick”.


Photo courtesy of Slickpix